The Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers of Castilla-La Mancha (UPA) has warned this Wednesday that family farms in the primary sector in the region are "at risk of extinction" due to the sharp increase in production costs.
According to the agricultural organization in a press release, this complaint is made after accumulating complaints and claims from "dozens of professionals" who confirm the low and even nonexistent profitability of many farms.
In its analysis, UPA focuses on the increase in fuel prices. "What cannot be is that in recent months the barrel of Brent has gone from 126 dollars to 91 dollars, while the price of diesel that we all pay has barely dropped from 1.87 to 1.85 euros," they denounce from UPA. "Someone is getting rich off this, as recent news shows, with a 200% increase in profits for oil industries," they add from the agricultural organization.
The organization insists on the urgency of curbing the effects of speculation on input prices, emphasizing that agricultural diesel "is skyrocketing," with average prices ranging between 1.45 euros and 1.38 euros per liter.
UPA also reminds that hydraulic oil (non-toxic), essential for the operation of agricultural machinery, cost just two months ago 5.80 euros and is now at 12 euros, "an incredible and unbearable increase" for family farms.
In light of this scenario, the agricultural organization demands that the Government of Spain extend the aid for diesel over time, and points out that "it is understood that, despite the tremendous economic effort due to the crises arising from war conflicts - which the agricultural sector always ends up paying for - an extra effort must be made to tackle these situations and not depend on the speculation of large industries, or the political maneuvering of major global economic powers."
From UPA Castilla-La Mancha, they emphasize that "a lot of money has been put on the table; there hasn't been a time when so much has been invested in the sector, but this does not benefit farmers and ranchers when speculators and the usual ones take those profits while the sector continues to operate at a loss."